Playground Safety Quiz

Ninety-six percent of parents polled in a 2009 KaBOOM! / Harris Interactive survey said that playing outside is critical to keeping kids at a healthy weight. But before you put on your sneaks for a trip to the closest playground, how much do you know about keeping kids safe while they monkey around? Every year more than 200,000 American kids visit their local emergency rooms because of playground injuries. So don't jog to the jungle gym just yet -- test your safety smarts with our playground safety quiz first.

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Question 1 of 10

What is the most common cause of injury on a playground?

falls

Falls are the most common way kids get hurt on the playground: The National SAFE KIDS Campaign (NSKC) estimates that they make up 80 percent of playground-related injuries.

faulty equipment

hot metal surfaces

sharp-edged objects

strangulation

Question 2 of 10

What is the most common cause of playground-related fatalities?

falls

faulty equipment

hot metal surfaces

sharp-edged objects

strangulation

Strangulation causes 56 percent of playground-related deaths, according to NSKC. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission recommends parents remove drawstrings from their children's clothing to avoid them becoming entangled in playground equipment or hardware. Small openings, gaps and rope swings also pose strangulation risks.

Question 3 of 10

To maximize safety in case of a fall, playground surfaces should be built with any of the following types of material except:

shredded rubber or interlocking rubber mats

poured-in-place rubber

grass

Poured-in-place rubber absorbs the most impact from falls and is currently one of the safest surfaces for playgrounds, according to the NPPS -- and it's compliant with Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) guidelines. Other safe playground surfaces include shredded rubber as well as loose fill, such as wood chips.

wood chips

Question 4 of 10

How deep should playground loose fill surfaces be to effectively cushion a child's fall?

1 to 3 inches

3 to 6 inches

6 to 9 inches

9 to 12 inches

The National Program for Playground Safety (NPPS) recommends a 9- to 12-inch cushion of loose fill under playground equipment.

Question 5 of 10

Age-appropriate play spaces are important. Which of the following is not recommended playground equipment for kids ages 2 to 5?

low platforms with ramps and ladders

long, spiral slides

Long, spiral slides are dangerous for little kids and are more appropriate for school-aged (5 to 12) children. For kids ages 2 to 5, the NPPS recommends slides that are no taller than 4 feet.

tricycle paths made of varying textures and materials

flexible spring rockers

Question 6 of 10

Who has a greater risk of a playground injury, girls or boys?

girls

Girls, reports the CDC, have a higher risk of injuring themselves on the playground: 55 percent are injured compared to 45 percent of boys.

boys

Question 7 of 10

What equipment causes the most injuries on home playgrounds?

slides

swings

Swings cause the greatest number of injuries on home playgrounds, finds a study conducted by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission. Swing sets should be properly anchored when installed and seats should be at least 8 inches above the ground. Parents should also be sure kids don't twist swings or walk in front of swings when they're in use.

seesaws

Question 8 of 10

Where do the majority of playground injuries occur?

apartment complexes

fast-food restaurants

home

schools, daycare and public parks

The Injury Free Coalition for Kids at Columbia University reports that 76 percent of playground injuries happen on equipment at schools, daycare and parks, 45 percent of which occur on school playgrounds.

Question 9 of 10

Approximately how many playground-related injuries are due to poor supervision?

10 percent

25 percent

40 percent

NPPS estimates that nearly 40 percent of playground injuries are due to poor adult supervision, both at home and at school.

55 percent

Question 10 of 10

Which two safety organizations evaluate and set safety standards for playground equipment and surface materials?

CPSC and IPEMA

IPEMA and NPPS

CPSC and ASTM

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) and the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) set standards to ensure that both equipment and surfaces meet age-appropriate designs, accounting for physical size, skills and abilities.